Humans are capable of achieving incredible things, but being born with no hands comes with certain limitations. Limitations that Oscar Loreto, a video editor born without hands, do not let slow him down whatsoever. He even skateboards in his spare time.
Now 31-years-old, Loreto is also missing his left foot due to a congenital birth defect. While still developing in his mother’s wound, amniotic bands from the umbilical cord wrapped around his hands and left foot, preventing further development. Missing limbs, however, did not stop him from skating.
Skating is what inspired Oscar Loreto to pursue a career in film and TV production. Loreto and his friends used to make skate home videos, edit them, and upload them to YouTube. After mastering riding a board while holding a camera and recording, Loreto believed he could do anything he set out to do.
Despite learning the ropes to editing videos, the Southern California native struggled to break into the video editing industry. Although he was a great candidate on paper and phone interviews, employers thought twice about hiring him once they saw he had no hands. But again, Loreto would not let that hiccup stop him.
He now works for Spectrum Deportes editing sports content and has even configured his keyboard to make it work better for him. The father of two says he’s just as efficient as an editor with both hands and all ten fingers. He’s also just as good skating as any man with both feet.
“I edit the way I know how to edit. I put pressure on my finger or on my stub, and I’ll push the keystrokes. And I click the mouse.”
Oscar Loreto loves what he does. But what he enjoys most is inspiring others in his situation to see that nothing is impossible. His heartwarming personality and can-do attitude is an inspiration to all people, not just those with similar struggles as his own.
Over the years, many individuals missing feet or hands have surprised us with amazing abilities that seem nearly impossible to achieve without fingers or feet. For example, a man with no hands playing the guitar with his feet. Or a blind man riding a motorcycle with his wife guiding him.
These stories always show us how lucky we are to have all limbs, but most of all, they teach us that people with limitations can overcome anything. We are humans capable of doing anything, and sometimes we forget that. Thankfully, once in a while, people like Oscar Loreto remind us how special we truly are.